The Biafra Independence anniversary celebration started yesterday in Delta State with a rally and procession in Asaba, the State capital just as MASSOB and BIM urged all pro Biafra agitators to mobilise for a seven-day celebration which will end on May 30.

Coordinator of MASSOB/BIM in the region, Mr. Emeka Okafor, in a statement made available to Daily Sun in Asaba, urged all Biafran sympathisers to join in the celebration, even as he paid glowing tributes to the United Nations (UN) for making it possible. “We thank the UN who made it possible, especially the United States of America, Israel, France, and Germany, among others. “MASSOB/BIM gives our special thanks to Ezeigbogburu, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu and Dr. Ralph Uwazuruike, the progenitor of new Biafra for their contributions to the struggle,” he stated.  In Bayelsa State, members of MASSOB/BIM defied police arrest of 18 of its members and celebrated Biafra Independence in Yenagoa, the state capital.

 According to investigations, armed policemen at the Yenagoa toll gate arrested 18 MASSOB members in a bus who were in the state capital to join other members to celebrate Biafra Independence Day.  Other members of the group from the eight local government areas of Bayelsa State who had gathered at Harbour Road, Yenagoa, led by the regional coordinator, Mr Isaac Ofoegbu, decided to proceed with the celebration.

In a peaceful procession along the major road, they sang solidarity songs in memory of Chief Emeka Ojukwu declaring that Biafra cannot die. Ofeogbu, in his remarks, noted that the celebration was to mark the resilient spirit of Biafra people to send a strong message that the Federal Government cannot stop the actualisation of Biafra state.

 He condemned the arrest of its members by the police, noting that no amount of intimidation by the Nigeria government would deter Biafra people from actualising their dream.

 “We are gathered for this celebration. We have been doing this for years and we believe nothing would stop our independence. Biafra nation is a settled matter; the federal government of Nigeria cannot stop us. We cannot be denied our right to exist as a nation” he said.

The coordinator of the group in Ogbia local government, Mr Collins Nwani, also re-echoed Ofoegbu’s sentiments declaring that the Biafra people have been marginalised in Nigeria and are no longer comfortable to remain in the country.

 “Today is May 22, 2017, we members of MASSOB/BIM, under Chief Dr Ralph Uwazurike, are marking the 50th Independence of Biafra and the 17th year of the creation of MASSOB as an organisation. We have achieved many things. Igbo are marginalised in this country and we are demanding that they should allow us to leave. My message to the federal government is that Biafra people are marking their Independence from now till May 30 and we have a line up of activities, I want to advise that federal government should allow us to go since they cannot accommodate us.” The Police Relations Officer ( PPRO), Mr Asinim Butwats, said the headquarters had not been notified about the arrest of the MASSOB members. In Cross River, the state police command disrupted MASSOB rally and arrested the leader, Samuel Okah and 46 others. The unarmed MASSOB/BIM members were arrested by a crack team of detectives at Odukpani junction during a peace march by the group.

The  combined security team, including agents of State Security Service (SSS), Police as well as Civil Defense arrested members of the group said to be from Cross River, neighbouring Ebonyi and Enugu states in a Toyota 18-seater bus with Ebonyi registration number ALL 327 ZT. Police sources told Daily Sun that when they got a tip off about a proposed peaceful rally by BIM, they quickly moved in to stop it because they didn’t get due approval. A member of BIM, who simply gave his name as John Agwu, told newsmen at the police headquarters in Calabar that the rally was a peaceful march to create awareness about the group, adding that they didn’t need approval and were rather surprised when security agents rounded them up.

Agwu said: “Biafra Independent Movement is part of MASSOB and the peaceful march was to sensitize people about the group which really needn’t any  approval, whatsoever, because we were unarmed, neither did we disturb the peace 

“We were surprised when police, DSS, and other security agents arrested us when we were trying to register our grievances. It is only in Nigeria people are stooped from protesting against injustice,” he said.

Reacting, the Police Public Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo, confirmed that 47 members of BIM were arrested at Odukapni junction in Odukpani LGA for questioning.

“We had information about the rally at Odukapni and our men had to get the members of the group for questioning to ascertain their mission and objective, once that is obtained, they shall be free to go because no weapon was found on them,” she said.